Sectional key



Patented Nov. 6, 1934 Unirse stares SECTEGNAL KEY Raymond B. Glidden, Kewanee, lill., assigner to Kewanee Safe Company, Kewanee, Ill., a corporation oi Illinois Application September 18, 1933, Serial No. 689,814

3 Claims.

My invention relates to features oi novelty and advantage in divided or sectional keys, especially those designed and adapted for use with pin tumbler locks.

Compound or multiple keys are not broadly new, rthat is, keys made in two parts which must be used eonjointly in assembled relation in order to operate the companion or associated lock, but, so far as I am informed, no such sectional key has heretofore been provided which could be sat. isfactorily used with locks of the pin tumbler cylinder type.

One aim of the present invention, therefore, is to supply a divided key, the parts of which must be used in united or conjoint relation to actuate a lock of the speciiied kind.

Such locks and keys can be employed to advantage in connection with safety deposit vaults, gasoline service stations, chain stores, and the like, enabling each of two individuals to have possession of one of the key parts, thus assuring that the lock cannot be operated unless the two persons are present so that the complementary portions of the key may be assembled for use.

Another purpose of the invention is to supply a key of that character the member or members oi which cannot become non-detachably held in the lock if inserted singly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a key of the designated model or pattern in which the separable parts are so made that they cannot be assembled in any wrong relation and that they can be quickly and correctly united for use with ease.

To enable those acquainted with this art to understand the structural and functional advantages accruing from the employment of the new style of key, a present, preferred embodiment thereof has been shown in the accompanying drawing to which reference should be had in connection with the following detailed description, and, for simplicity, throughout the several views of the drawing,` like reference numerals have been employed to designate the same parts.

In this drawing:-

Figure l is a face View of the larger of the two key members;

Figure 2 is a top edge view of the same;

Figure 3 is a face view of the smaller, companion, key element;

Figure el isa top edge View of the same;

Figure 5 is a face view of the complete key; and

Figure 6 is a top edge view of the entire key.

As is clearlyillustrated in the several views of this drawing, the duplex or multiple key comprises a main or principal member characterized 11 as a whole and comprising a fairly large, ilat, rectangular, handle portion l12 with a middle, apertured ear 13 at one edgeoutstanding somewhat obliquely from the main body of the handle, the plane face of the handle away from which the lug or ear 13 is bent having two studs, 14, 15 outstanding at right angles therefrom and arranged diagonally of the face of the handle, as is distinctly depicted in Figure 1.

Projecting from that margin of the handle opposite the edge equipped with the ear 13 is a relatively-narrow shank 16 with a smooth, `flat, top edge 17, its lower edge being shaped or formed to provide a stop or shoulder 18 to limit the extent oi insertion oi the key-member in the pin tumbler cylinder lock, not shown, because such lock may be of any usual or customary construction.

At the outer end of such shank the member is widened out to form one key-sectionV 19 bevelled at its extreme end in opposite directions at 20, 21, the upper edge oi the part 19 having three, or any other appropriate number of, lock-pin receiving cavities or recesses 22, 23, 24..

It should be noted that the key-section 19v at its inner extremity has a downwardly, inwardly, sloping or inclined surface 25, similar to, but opposite as to its slant relation to, the bevelled, end surface 20.

As is clearly presented inligure 2, this main or larger key-member 1l is bent at-26 yto offset sidewise the aligned. parts 16 and 19 an amount corresponding to their thickness, thus bringing one face of such parts into register with the stud-equipped surface of the handle.

The companion, 'smaller or minor key-element 27 has a fiat, substantially-rectangular handle 28 supplied at one edge with an apertured ear 29 disposed obliquely to the body of the member 27, as shown in Figure 4, the ear or lug 29 ilaring from the member 27 -oi handle 28 in an opposite direction from that in which the corresponding part 13 diverges from the larger key'- member.

The key-section 31 of the member 27 is provided in its top edge with three depressions 32, 33, 34 designed and intended to receive the pins of the lock, the end of the part 31 being bevelled at 35 downwardly, inwardly away from the top edge and at the same angle as the surface 25 of the larger key-member 1l.

In addition, the top portion of the part 31 has a stop or shoulder 36 representing a companion for the shoulder 18.

The iat, plane handle 28 has two holes 37 and 38 through it of the proper size and location to snugly receive the two studs or pins lll and l5 of the other key-element.

In order to assemble the parts of the sectional or divided key, the handle 28 is placed at against the surface of the handle 12 with the studs 14 and 15 in the corresponding holes 37 and 38.

Such denite positioning of the parts brings the lower, flat surface 39 of the smaller keymember 27 directly over and resting on the surface 17 of the shank 16 of the larger keymember with the two inclined surfaces 35 and 25 in contact and with the shoulders 18 and 36 in register with one another.

Such assembled key-members, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, now constitute a single, complete key which may be used in they ordinary manner for locking and unlocking the companion pin tumbler lock.

When such key is pushed into the key-way of the lock, the front, bevelled surface 20 successively lifts the various, aligned, obstructing, spring-pressed pins so that none ofthem will bar or hinder the'insertion or introduction of the key fully into place in the lock.

The shorter, bevelled surface 21 facilitates the sliding of the key into the lock, but it has nothing to do with the elevation of the pins.

As with an ordinary, single-piece key, when the new key is pushed fully home in the lock the pins of the latter will have been so positioned by reason of the cavities 22, 23, 24, 32, 33, 34 thatthe cylinder ofthe lock can be turned.

Of course, the key can be withdrawn with facility at any time in the same manner that an integral key can be withdrawn.

If it be attempted to insert the key-element 11 only in the lock, this Imay be readily accomplished because the surface 2G will raise the pins in the usual Way, and the member 1l may be withdrawn with equal ease because the inclined surface 25 will similarly lift the pins sumciently to permit the withdrawal. v

Of course, such introduction of the single keymember into the lock could result in no useful purpose as the one part o f the key by itself could not operate the lock.

If it be undertaken to introduce the smaller key-member alone into the lock, this cannot be accomplished, because, as soon as the end of the part 31 engages the rst pin, it will be barred from further insertion, there being no sloping surface on such member to elevate any of the pins.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the member 11 may be introduced fully into the lock without difliculty and withdrawn with equal ease, but that the part 27 can never be wholly inserted into the lock ,because it is prevented from so doing by the rst pin. When the two parts are assembled, however, as shown in Figure 5, then the united keymembers operate as does the ordinary singlepiece key.

From what precedes it will be apparent that owing to the arrangement of the studs and holes, the parts of the key can be readily assembled in proper relation, and due to thebroad, fiat, contacting surfaces of the two handles which arey grasped between the thumb and iirst nger of the user, the other parts of the key are kept inV proper operative register.

As is shown in the drawing, the two parts of the sectional or divided key have the usual longitudinal grooves to cooperate with projections of the lock, and these prevent the introduction of the small, shorter key-member from being inserted in the lock at anything other than its proper level or height in the lock opening.

Such a construction assures that the reversely-bevelled end 35 of the part 31 will necessarily engage the rst pin of the lock, ir" attempt is made to use the smaller key-member alone in the lock, thus preventing complete insertion of this part only of the key and avoiding all possibility of its becoming fixed in the lock so that it could not be easily withdrawn.

The invention has been deiined by the appended claims, but it will be understood that it is not limited and restricted to the precise and exact details hereinbefore set forth and that these may be modied within substantial limits without departure from the heart and essence of the invention and without the loss or sacrifice of any of its material benefits and advantages.

I claim:

l. In pin tumbler lock sectional key, the combination of a first key-member having a handle, a shank extended therefrom and a key-section at the opposite end of said shank, and a second key-member having handle and a key-section extended therefrom, said key-members being adapted to be assembled to form a complete key with the key-section of said second key-member above and in register with the shank of said rst key-member, the opposite ends of the keysection of said first key-member being bevelled in opposite directions to permit the insertion of the complete key inthe lock and to permit the withdrawal of the iirst key-member from the lock if it has been inserted therein singly, the end of the key-section of the second key-member remote from its handle being shaped to prevent it from lifting any of the pins of the lock if such second key-member is attempted to be inserted in the lock, both of said key-sections having recess means on the same edge to cooperate with the single row of pins of the lock.

2. In a pin tumbler lock sectional key, the combination of a rst key-member having a handle, a shank extended from said handle and a key-section at the opposite end of said shank, and a second key-member having a handle and a key-section extended therefrom, said keymembers being adapted to be assembled to form a complete key with the key-section of said second key-member in the plane of the shank of said first key-member and with said two keysections solely in longitudinal alignment, both of said key-sections having recess means solely on one and t e same edge to cooperate with the single row of aligned pins of the lock, the outer end of the key-section of said first key-member being bevelled to progressively raise the pins of the lock during insertion of the complete key in the lock, and cooperating means to assure the proper assembly association of the key-members and key-sections.

3. The structure presented in claim 2 in which the outer end of the key-section of said second key-member is shaped to prevent it from lifting any of the pins of the lock if such second keymember is attempted to be inserted in the lock.

RAYMOND B. GLIDDEN. 

